Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-06-02

eWhy that Elkhart affair was as good q
come out for US engineers as ever knew
Of 1t was really nearer South Bend. You
must have heard of the tramps burning
up in freight cars not long sincel
80, yes" I ventured, shut tell me
about it?''
1T was foggy morning and neither
engineer could see the other
any distance; the trains came close
up before they reversed steam.
Both firemen jumped and were saved by
it. The engineers halted to reverse steam
and collided-each man was thrown under
his engine-pinned there. One, Wills on,
got badly burned on the arms; I think
he'll never use his right arm any more.
It was burned to the bone in some pl aces.
The other, Henry, was fast under the
tender. The brakeman and two tramps
hurried to release the boys CWilson and
Henry only little way apart. The en-
gines had partly passed by each other
facing IN opposite directions. u
by saving out bumper we could re-
lease Wilson and get him from under the
dripping hot water. The poor fellow
| groaned until half stupefied with pain,
when suddenly fire broke out in the
| freight cars loaded with COAL coke and
| oil, and the blaze began to roar like a
tram coming. One man had gone a quar-
ter of a mile for a handsaw, and Wilson,
| in his stupor, caught the sound of the fire
and said: What Is thata' Go quick, flag the
train! Go; no matter about mel Flag the
| trainr and tainted
tsNo one had the courage to tell him the
fire was so near, with no means to extin-
guish it. With superhuman effort we re-
leased him just as the flames could be
felt from the heat of the burning coal
and car timbers.
Turning our attention to Henry, we
found a large raw-boned man with grim,
determined look choking back his emo
ttion and saying, as he pointed to his brok
en- leg near the knee: Boys, don't leave
me. Don't desert me-stand by me. II
you can't get me out in time don't let me
burn. Have knife ready, strip that left
leg of as much under the knee as you car
-unjoint it if you must-I guess you can
cut me out better that way than by saw
ing the cars apart
at was said in cool, brave tone as
the heat was growing closer, the fire
blazing but little way off and every one
excited. The struggle was one Of life ano
death amid the roar of flames and means
| of burning tramps. Then one OF the boy:
brought rail and began prying, and a
first the pain was terribly intensified b.
the movement; then with sudden move
: the leg slipped loose and the poor fellow
raised his hands to Heaven and said: oh
God, Pm saved, in most touching man
ner. p.
ssThen we could hear the tramps VIII
lay in the closed cars next to the roof
locked in and roasting alive, begging TO
release, but no release came before death
Fourteen cars were burned and SIX un
fortunates inside persisted in the flames
One will be a cripple all ;his life. We tai
of it among ourselves as d lucky acciden
and so it was, all considered" And tn
. engineers face warmed and glowed like
! heroes on describing victory.
"But how do you make it out lucky TO
!, the trampsp'
i 80, that's just it! They were unluck
q fellows anyway. That bears out my thu
= ory. Lucky men are never tramps."